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President Biden Vows the U.S. Will Defend Taiwan if China Invades the Country

Currents News Staff

President Joe Biden is vowing U.S. military response to defend Taiwan if China were to invade.

“That’s the commitment we made,” the president made at a joint press conference in Tokyo with Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.The president repeated similar comments that his staff has tried to walk back in the past.

“We support the One China policy,” President Biden said. “All that we’ve done in the past, but that does not mean, it does not mean that China has the ability as the excuse me, the jurisdiction to go in and use force to take over Taiwan.

China isn’t taking the criticism lightly and warned the president to be careful with his words. The White House says no changes have been made to official U.S. policy and reiterated the country’s commitment under the Taiwan Relations Act to provide Taiwan with the military means to defend itself.

“I do think that’s a premature comment off the cuff,” said Texas Rep. Michael McCaul, Chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security. “Everybody listens to the commander-in-chief, however, I think deterrence is important here.”

The president’s remarks come just before formally unveiling a 13-member Indo-Pacific economic bloc that’s intended to counter China’s dominance in the region.

“We’re committed for the long haul,” he said. “We’re ready to champion our vision for a positive future together with friends and partners.”

Canisius College Grants Posthumous Degree in Honor of Buffalo Security Guard Shooting Victim

Currents News Staff

Canisius College is adding a special graduate from Buffalo to their roster. Aaron Salter Jr. was just three credits away, or one course, from finishing his degree in communications. His cousin shares how much it means to their family.

“That’s huge for him, that’s huge for the family,” said Aaron’s cousin, Previn Brock Sanders. “Thank you Canisius, thank you.”

Aaron attended Canisius College from the fall of 1984 to 1988. College President John Hurley explains the decision.

“His career in the police department and his unbelievable bravery last Saturday, that more than made up for the little three credits he was short on his Canisius College degree,” said John. “I think it will be a source of healing and consolation for the family, and if it provides just a little bit, we want to be there to do it for them.”

Aaron returned to school in the spring and summer of 2007, rounding out all but that one class he needed to graduate. But his work and family put those final credits on hold. Previn says education was important to his cousin.

“Aaron Junior had actually went back, he started at Canisius, then he became an officer and as part of continuing education,” Previn said. “He felt it was important to go back.”

Catholic News Headlines for Friday, 5/20/22

U2 singer Bono joined Pope Francis to push a critical education program for girls around the globe.

Cuban American bishops are praising President Biden’s plan to ease sanctions against Cuba.

A missing 300 year-old manuscript from Nostradamus — finally found.

Pope Francis and Bono Launch Scholas Educational Initiative

By Currents News and Junno Arocho Esteves 

ROME (CNS) — Celebrating the launch of the Scholas International Educational Movement and its environmental project, Pope Francis encouraged young people, especially women, to lead the charge in fighting climate change.

“Defending nature means defending the poetry of creation, it means defending harmony. It is a fight for harmony. And women know more about harmony than us men,” the pope said May 19 during an event at Rome’s Pontifical Urban University.

U2 frontman Bono, who joined the pope for the launch, said he had been a supporter of Scholas for the past four years and was “drawn to this idea of a ‘culture of encounter.'”

Scholas began in Pope Francis’ Archdiocese of Buenos Aires, supporting education in poor neighborhoods by pairing their schools with private schools and institutions in wealthier neighborhoods.

The organization has spread to other countries and supports a variety of exchange programs aimed at promoting education, encouraging creativity and teaching young people about respect, tolerance and peace.

Citing its continuing expansion across the globe, the pope signed a decree changing Scholas Occurrentes’ status from a pontifical foundation to “an international association of the faithful.” The decree was published May 17.

During the event May 19, Bono praised the papal decree, which he said, “adopts inclusivity into canon law” and gives a voice to young people doing their part to fight poverty and climate change through education.

The Irish singer also took the opportunity to ask the pope a question.

“Girls’ education is a superpower in fighting extreme poverty and I would like to ask His Holiness if he thinks that women and girls play the same powerful role in tackling the climate crisis,” he said.

“We usually speak of ‘Mother Earth,’ not ‘Father Earth,'” the pope replied with a smile, prompting applause from Bono and the audience. “Also, as I told you earlier, from the moment of the apple (in the Garden of Eden), they are in charge,” the pope added.

Pope Francis said that now as an international association, Scholas Occurrentes can help unite even more young people to protect “the harmony of creation.”

“Now it is in your hands,” the pope said. “Hopefully it isn’t too late because there is work to do.”

Bono Promotes Vatican Education Initiative Alongside Pope Francis

Currents News Staff

An atypical scene at the Benedict XVI Great Hall in the Pontifical Urban University: Song and dance before a meeting between Pope Francis and the Scholas Occurrentes educational project, which has recently become an International Pontifical Movement.

The event brought students from across the Americas and Europe participating in the Laudato Si’ school to develop social and ecological projects in their home communities. Also in attendance were some very special guests including Bono!

Pope Francis was wheeled into the room to great applause, and listened to a performance from the students before responding to their questions on caring for the environment, including one from Bono, who referenced the role of women in combating poverty.

“I would like to ask His Holiness if he thinks that women and girls play the same powerful role in tackling the climate crisis,” asked Bono.

Pope Francis responded.

“In the common saying, we usually talk about Mother Earth, not Father Earth,” Pope Francis said.

As an example of innovative ecological projects, an inventor showed a device he created to filter water without electricity. And surprising the crowd, even Pope Francis took a sip.

Before closing the meeting, more special guests came out from the crowd to meet the Pope. Soccer superstars Dani Alvez, Maxi Rodriguez, and Ronaldinho shook the Pope’s hand and presented a video message promoting an upcoming friendly soccer match for peace. The video featured iconic players from around the world, among them, the late soccer legend Diego Maradona.

“I want everyone in the Olympic Stadium to enjoy the match for peace,” Diego said in the video.

They then gave the pontiff the number 10 shirt to play alongside them in Rome’s Olympic Stadium on Oct. 10.

Bishop Brennan Shares Words of Wisdom for St. Francis College Class of 2022 at Baccalaureate Mass

Currents News Staff

Congratulations to the graduating class at St. Francis College! Brooklyn Bishop Robert Brennan joined them for Mass on Wednesday and offered a few words of wisdom.

“Good evening and congratulations one and all to the Class of 2022,” Bishop Brennan said.

The bishop blessed the students at the Cathedral Basilica of St. James and wished them the best of luck as they prepare for a brand new chapter in their lives.

“I’m confident that this quest for knowledge that you’ve begun here will be part of your life all the way through,” the bishop said, “and my prayer is that you’ll encounter Christ. That you’ve encountered him along the way here, and that you’ll encounter him over and over again. God bless you tonight and in every step of the adventure of life.”

Around 500 students took part in commencement exercises on Thursday afternoon.

You can watch the Mass in full right here on NET-TV. Just tune in Saturday, May 21 at 10:30 a.m.

 

Catholic News Headlines for Thursday, 5/19/22

President Joe Biden is invoking the Defense Production Act to help baby formula makers get ingredients more quickly.

Ukrainian President Volodomyr Zelenskyy is now accusing Russia of food terrorism

A Wisconsin man who lost his dentures in the Gulf of Mexico last week will be getting them back.

Buffalo Grocery Store Employee Shares How He Risked His Life to Save Customers and Co-Workers

Currents News Staff

Jerome Bridges can’t bring himself to take off his Tops Supermarket name tag.

“He killed so many innocent people,” Jerome said. “Every night, I’ve been going into the house crying for hours.”

He was at work in Aisle 14 when he heard the first gunshots and ran towards the break room in the back of the store.

“I told the customers to get inside some customers to get inside the break room and get down on the floor,” Jerome said. “I had to tell them to be quiet and just lay down on the ground because he was getting closer and closer to the back, to the point where he was actually shooting at the displays that are there like the milk display.

I mean he was really trying to hit whatever behind that wall because he had detailed plans of where everything was at. I just wanted to make sure I kept them customers and my other three coworkers very safe so even if I would have died, it would have been you know me dying protecting them.”

Police say the suspect gunman, an 18-year-old, self described white supremacist, killed 10 people and wounded three others. According to investigators, he planned his attack for months, eventually posting the detailed and disturbing plans on social media and made repeat visits to the store in March.

He has pleaded not guilty to first degree murder.

“I thought he was a lost shopper,” Jerome said. “So I just kept it going. I didn’t realize he was sitting up there scoping out the store for something like this. I don’t discriminate against nobody, but for him to be hateful of black people… it is what it is…”

Jerome says he was too scared to answer his phone while hiding in the break room for fear that the gunman would hear him. His son was calling him during the time because he knew his dad was at the grocery store.

“And I couldn’t answer the phone,” Jerome said. “He calls me every day now.”

 

U.S. Government Takes Steps to Address Nationwide Formula Shortage

Currents News Staff

THE FDA Commissioner says they’re working on the national baby formula shortage. That’s what Dr. Robert Califf said when he testified before Congress Thursday.

“The pandemic,” Dr. Robert said, “the war in Ukraine and labor supply issues have all had an impact and I can assure FDA has been working tirelessly to address this issue.”

He says they set up a mechanism to help companies that don’t normally sell infant formula in this country to do so. He mentioned President Joe Biden’s announcement to invoke the defense production act to help formula makers get ingredients more quickly and “Operation Fly Formula” to send planes overseas.

“… to pick up infant formula that meets U.S. health and safety standards,” President Biden said. “So we can get it on store shelves faster.”

Meanwhile, as desperate parents struggle to feed their babies, two bills are heading to the Senate after passing in the House late Wednesday night.

One plan to help low-income families use their WIC benefits for formula has strong bipartisan support. Those families purchase about half the formula in the U.S. and they’re limited to certain brands.

“If we can’t find it in the stores,” said one mother, Diana Torres, “then we lose our benefits.”

The second bill would pay for more FDA inspectors at formula plants. Only 12 Republican representatives voted for it, so its future in the Senate is uncertain. But criticism is growing about how long these actions took. The formula plant is at the heart of a nationwide recall shut down in February.